A Mexican Summer
by sweet rica
Summary: After graduation, Edward and Bella decide to run away to none other than the beautiful beaches of Mexico. A story of their 'perfect' summer filled with love, laughter, drama, and life. Everyone is human. Please RxR. btw- I might change the title later!
1. A Sweet Breeze

Author's note: So this is kind of a demo type thing, depending on the feedback I may or may not continue this one, so let me know what you think!

disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Twilight series.

Chapter One: A sweet breeze

He stood there, waiting, balancing on the window to my bedroom, the way he did most nights when he snuck out to come visit me at various ungodly hours of the morning. Of course, Charlie had no idea, and we thought it best to keep even the closest friends in the dark about this one. Not that I couldn't trust Angela or Jessica, but we just wanted to keep this our little secret.

The tree that he used to climb up to my window was largely overgrown, and branches stuck out in all directions, making it fairly easy for Edward to get to me. There was a light wind that started to pick up, and the leaves seemed to cling tightly to their mother branches, and every now and then some old achy branch would moan and sigh with the new movement. I looked up at Edward, and his sleek figure, perched perfectly on my window sill, holding out his hand for me, our eyes locked in such a way that we seemed to know what the other was thinking, and understand what ever it was we each felt at that moment. As I gazed upon him, I noticed the moon hanging in the sky, nearly full, but not quite, and the sky was just ridden with stars. There were no clouds out tonight, on this beautiful morning of June.

Any other night, and the picture here before me would have been normal, and gone unnoticed. But tonight was different. Tonight, was my farewell. I was leaving this place- we were leaving this place. Edward and I were finally going to be spontaneous- for once in our lives we were going to do something rash, and experience something completely new. I would have been terrified with anyone else, but Edward had this way of making me feel safe around him. And I trusted him more than anyone in the world. He was my Edward.

_My_ Edward.. That seemed to hold a certain ring to it- but I still didn't like the idea of marrying him. Not that I didn't want to spend forever with him, and only him- that's the only thing I've been so sure of in my life. But marriage was so… naïve.. My mother had spent years on educating me on the spoils of marriages, and the mistakes that she and many other people have made, and the stupidity people gain when they think they're _in love. _But that's the only way he'd allow us to runaway together. He had originally told me that we had to do the entire wedding ceremony, but I persisted that we do the quick legal way, and worry about ceremonies later. He finally obliged. It was more of a compromise, meeting half way.

So I looked around my room one last time, made sure my note for Charlie, Angela and Jess were all arranged neatly on my pillow, and I grabbed my bags, and then I looked up at Edward, into his perfect, loving eyes that shone just for me, and I put my hand in his, and felt an exciting electrical current that sparked as our palms met. I knew I loved him. And I knew he loved me. That was all we needed, that and maybe Edwards breathtaking Volvo, some extra cash, and maybe a few other necessities. We could make it for a whole summer. Maybe longer if we wanted. All we knew is that it was time for some sunshine in our lives, a real, decent summer.

Edward helped me down, and lightly tossed my bags onto the floor as we made our way down the tree, and when he jumped off onto the grassy carpet beneath him, he held his arms out as if to catch me. I had done this so many times before, but this time just seemed so much more symbolic. I took a deep breath and gently leapt down and landed into his strong cradle of muscle. I looked up at him, and put one hand against the side of his angelic face. He looked at me, and our noses touched ever so slightly, and then he kissed me in his romantic sweet, perfect way that he always did. His lips always held such passion in them, and when we kissed- I swear we were the only two people on the planet for those brief seconds. He always made me feel that way; like I was the only one that mattered. We parted, and he set me down on my feet, and I reached up to give him one more quick thank you kiss, and then he picked up my bags for me, and took my hand in his, and we ran silently around the house to his car, which he had left on the street, in neutral, with the lights off, and both doors open, ready for action. We slid into the car, situated our belongings, and then he steppe out of the car to start pushing. I grabbed the wheel to steer while Edward managed to get his car's momentum going by himself. Once we were ready to start the engine and close the doors, I looked back at the house for one last glance at my little home in forks. It would always be home to me. No matter how far away I traveled, or for how long- I adored this house, this home. And I come back, someday. Whether that was in 3 months or 3 years.

Traveling much faster now, almost too fast, as speed limits were simply out of the question when you drove with Edward, he turned on the headlights, and we sped toward the freeway. As we sped past all the sleepy neighborhoods, I watched the trees swaying gently in the breeze. I noticed the general direction that they were all leaning and I smiled.

"Edward, the wind is blowing south."

He looked over at me, and smiling he said, "It's a sign… Yes, with the wind on our side, we'll be in Mexico in no time."


	2. Checking In

Author's note: heres chapter two! Hope you guys enjoy- and please please please remember: RxR! Thanks a bunch :D

Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight series.

Chapter Two: Checking In

"Hello ma'm. We have a reservation under the name 'Cullen.'" Edward said as he spread his lips into a gorgeously debonair smile, leaving the middle-aged, love-deprived receptionist's heart skipping a beat or two. She gave a small half smile, while she stared into what she thought must have been a dream, collected herself and said "One moment, please," as she put her chin back down to see her computer screen. With a puzzled look on her face, she directed her attention once again to Edward saying "Well Mr. Cullen, it appears you have arrived an entire day too early, and unfortunately, your room is not ready."

I shot a look, or rather a glare at Edward and tried (and nearly succeeded in) burning the words 'I **told you** to slow down!' directly onto the side of his face. He looked at me, and winked. A wink! How could he possibly be so smug? Here we are left without a place to stay and he winks as if everything in the universe will just play out to his desire. My attention was pulled once again to the receptionist whom I assumed to be "Carrol" as that is what her gold trimmed name tag informed me.

"However, we won't be completely unable to accommodate you, sir. I'm sure I can find something adequate." And then Carrol went back to her computer screen, scrolling through what must have been room reservations and cancellations. "Oh, here we go. It just so happens that we have an opening available for you," Her eyes traveled up to meet Edward's charming gaze as she said the word 'you,' and then continued on informing us, "Someone cancelled a reservation just this morning. Would you like me to book it for you?"

"Yes, excellent. Thank you.. Carrol, correct?"

She proceeded to blush the deepest shade of pink possible for her complexion, and I just had to roll my eyes. But I couldn't blame her- I looked up at Edward and heaved a deep, internal sigh. But my adoration was interrupted when Carrol spoke up. "Yes, that's correct. Now, will you be charging the room to the original credit card number you provided earlier?"

"Yes, that's just fine." He said through a smile. Carrol took a small breath in and sat down on her chair, smiling to herself as if I couldn't see, and I took a step closer to Edward. He held my hand tightly while she made a couple of clicks and keystrokes and then stood up to hand us, well actually to serenely place the key card in Edward's hand.

"You'll be staying in the Master Suite on the sixteenth floor. Girard here will help you with any luggage you may have with you, and I'll be here to accommodate you with anything you may need here on your visit. Thank you for letting us serve you, Mr. Cullen." She let her lips linger on his name for a moment, and then continued with "Welcome to Vegas."

After being in a car for over 1,400 miles, we were completely sore, uncomfortable and hungry. I was so exhausted that even standing in the elevator for sixteen floors seemed to be draining me. I hung onto Edward, and I could tell he was tired too. After all, he was the one driving, so he had stayed awake the entire drive down here (not that it was a long time- I don't think the speedometer ever went below one hundred until we got off the highways.)

I watched the numbers illuminate as the elevator passed each floor, and then, rather quickly, it made that familiar 'ding' noise as we reached our designated floor. The bellboy, Girard, led us down the hall, and stopped at the room numbered 1600. He slowly opened the door, and allowed us to enter past him, and I was lost in a state of awe. I could not believe the room Edward had just scored us. It was unmatched to anything I had ever seen before.

There was a sleek, flat screen tv mounted to one of the walls, adjacent to that was a sophisticated electric fire place already romantically a-glow. I also noticed that neatly placed in front of the fireplace there was a plush white fur rug, complete with bucket equipped with a bottle of champagne and chocolate squares. I scanned further to the right and found a mini-bar with elegant bar stools and counter tops, and on one of the corners sat a beautiful arrangement of colorful flowers.

Edward turned to thank Girard and slide him some cash, and then quietly closed the door behind him. He looked over at me, smiling shyly. I couldn't let him get away with this.

"Edward! Look at this place- I thought we were supposed to be conserving our money, remember?"

"Oh.. You don't like it?"

"Like it- Edward it's the most amazing thing I have ever seen! Its gorgeous, its incredible- its incredibly out of our budget."

"I can handle it. Listen, don't worry about anything- as far as this weekend goes, we can afford it. I just want us to be very well taken care of, seeing as we might not have this kind of luxury a few weeks down the road. As long as you like it- we'll stay here." He had already made his way over to me, and had his arms wrapped around my waist. His forehead touched mine and then he pulled me in tighter so that our hips were pressed against each other.

Why did he have to be so damn intoxicating? I mean, I thought by now I'd be able to withstand his charm, but here I am- unable to breathe again. He let out a soft breath of a laugh, and then I let out a small gasp of air before I started laughing with him. I loosened my body against his and hugged him even tighter. I looked around the large room, and then decided that the term 'small palace' would do it a better justice.

"Its perfect, Edward." I said as I looked up into his face. He looked at me, with his little side smile, and leaned down to kiss me. I let my lips lock onto his, and our tongues caressed each other as my hands moved up to hold his face. We released, after a few moments, but held our embrace just as tightly as before.

"We're in Vegas, babe!" He exclaimed, lighting up the room with his smile.

"I know! Oh my gosh, I still can't believe this is happening- we're actually doing this! Ah! I mean, I still keep half-expecting this whole room to burst back into fairy dust or something, and I'll wake up to the sound of Charlie pulling out of the driveway or something equally mundane… But we're really here! You're here- with me, in Vegas!" and then I threw my arms around his neck and reached up on my toes to kiss him again- only this time I kissed his lips just once, and then proceeded to cover his face with tiny kisses filled with a mixture of excitement, gratitude, joy and love. He took me by the hand then, "Would you like to see our room?"

"Wait, there's one more thing," I said, slowly sliding my hand from his. "How were you able to book a hotel, in Vegas, if you're only 18? I mean, especially a room with a mini bar?"

Edward blushed slightly and then said, "Oh, right.. I forgot to tell you. Well, over the years, Jasper managed to make a very valuable contact, who happens to specialize in extremely reliable, various forms of alternate identification. So, a little while back, I was able to acquire my own ID, and one for you as well…"

"You got us fake IDs? You know how much we could get busted for?!"

"Not a chance. These IDs will make it past police officers, scanners, airport security- its completely legitimate. You really have nothing to worry about. Oh and speaking of airports, I had new passports made for us as well- I know you already have one, but I just wanted to stay on the safe side, should anything happen. Is that alright?"

I looked at him. I tried to see something in his eyes- something that might reveal just how insanely genius he was. But then all I could think about was what my new ID looked like. "Can I see mine? What picture did you use?"

He just laughed, and took my hand in his again and said "Later, Bell, I'll show you while we're out tonight. But for now lets go see the room!"

I followed him over to the double doors, each of us grabbing a handle, and unveiled our bedroom. There it was: a massive king-sized mountainous bed, topped with four pillars at each corner, with an elegant canopy of what must have been silk draping in the middle, hanging from the top of the pillars. The comforter alone was about two feet thick, and there must have been at least a dozen pillows. I walked over to the monstrosity and nearly had to jump as I perched myself carefully onto the edge. My body sank in, just the right amount. I wasn't sucked into the mattress, but it wasn't too firm, and suddenly I realized just exactly how dead I was. I could feel my eye lids start to droop, and found that they were much too heavy to try to keep open, when they jolted wide open and my body tensed up at the loud "Thump!" beside me, as Edward dove into the pillows next to me.

He lay there, arms and legs spread out as far as possible, and still not managing to take up much room. I laughed, crawled up beside him and waited for him to move his arms for me. He turned onto his side, facing me, and motioned for me to lay next to him. I nestled myself next to his chest and we both took in a deep sigh, and closed our eyes. I was just about to enter into my first REM cycle when Edward nudged me lightly, to ask "How long do you want to nap for, because if we want to make it to any of the shows tonight we need to be ready by 7:30."

"Edward! Can't I sleep? I thought we made it here a day early? Cant we use today to sleep and then get on with the schedule tomorrow?" I whined. I was so comfortable here! There was no way I was going to be satiated by a ten minute cat nap.

"Bell, you don't want to spend the whole night sleeping! We just gained ourselves a whole day! We can get much more done now. I promise, you won't regret it. Look, we can go out to dinner tonight, see a show, maybe try out our luck at some slot machines, and then we'll come back here, and we'll both be so entirely exhausted that we'll enjoy this bed more than if we took a nap right now. Ok?"

"….fine." I grumbled. I was too tired to argue anymore, and the aspect of any amount of sleep was too appealing to pass up at this point.

"Good. Then we'll sleep for thirty minutes. But after that we're getting ready, ok?"

"Right, right…" I said as I adjusted myself more comfortably against him and shut my eyes tight in contentment. This was going to be a big weekend…


	3. A New Name

Author's note: Ok so this one is a bit lengthy, so get ready. Please remember to RxR! Thanks! -sweet rica

Disclaimer: I (unfortunately) do not own any part of the Twilight series.

Chapter three: A New Name

I was rudely awakened by the sound of a nearby vacuum, probably somewhere downstairs. What was Charlie doing vacuuming at this hour? I rolled over on my side to see a cherry-wood nightstand decorated with one of my shoes, a few chocolates, a strange desk phone, and a list of courtesy numbers… what the hell was this doing here? I sat up, rubbing my eyes to see if that would better clarify my vision. I looked around the room to find that it was not so familiar: the walls were different, the entire room was larger than my second floor, and I didn't recognize this comforter… quickly I realized that the entire bed I was on was not my own. Then I became aware of the hand that was placed around my thigh, and I followed the hand up to an arm which turned into a shoulder, which turned into Edward's shoulder! Oh! It all came flooding back to me now- Vegas…right. The vacuum must have been a maid cleaning up a room down the hall…So that must have meant that I was in our master suite, with Edward, and it was probably morning.. We went out last night.. LAST NIGT!

Did I get married?! I quickly pulled my left hand from underneath the covers, searching desperately to find the ring- which wasn't there. Oh thank God, I thought as a wave of relief crashed over me. How terrible would it be to not remember my own wedding? Oh but what did I do last night? Slowly the images of a Broadway style show entered my head followed by a fancy dinner, and then some slot machines, and some alcohol.. Oh lord… the alcohol.. I clutched my head to make the room stop spinning. Apparently somewhere along last night's schedule of events was a spontaneous opening for drunkenness. Well at least for me. I looked at Edward, and wondered if he would feel the same way I did when he wakes up.

I limply fell back against my pillow and squeezed myself closer into Edward's arms, and buried my face in the crook of his neck while I wrapped one leg around his torso. I could definitely get used to waking up next to him every morning. I smiled to myself at this thought when I heard a pounding at the door.

"Room service!" someone called. Edward's eyes cracked open and he leant forward to lightly kiss my forehead. I could feel him starting to move to get out of bed, so I tightened my grip around him, pulling him close as I whined "no…" Edward laughed, and we heard the knocking again. He gently rolled on top of me, tangling the sheets around us as he kissed my neck. But he quickly continued rolling, till he was off of me, and then coolly slid off the bed. I fixed my face into a poor little pout, but Edward was already running out our bedroom doors, and I heard him answer the main door with a jolly "Good morning!" for the bellboy who had been kept waiting a moment longer than he would have liked.

I heard a small exchange of words, which ended with "Please sign here… thank you. Have a great day." The door shut, and Edward entered the room again, pulling a silver cart with him. He ordered breakfast! That sly dog… I wondered when he made that arrangement. He pulled the cart over to my side of the bed, and lifted three silver lids, one after another revealing thick Belgian waffles, scrambled eggs, an array of fresh fruit, silky yogurt, bacon, sausage, and warm bread that still had heat rising from the crust. It looked amazing. Looking at the feast before me, I realized I just so happened to be famished. Edward was gathering the utensils and buttering the bread, so I started to push the blankets down, and rearrange the pillows so we could sit up while we ate. I looked back to Edward who was currently pouring me a cup of hot green tea, followed by a glass of orange juice. God, it all smelled so wonderful, my mouth was watering just looking at it. Edward handed me a plate of food, and then carefully climbed onto the bed, comfortably situating himself next to me. I handed him his plate of food, and we started to eat what I came to know as the best tasting breakfast I had yet to encounter.

After a few bites of waffle, I washed it down with some juice to ask Edward, "So when did you order all this?" as I took a large bite of eggs.

"Mm.." Edward swallowed his bite of sausage, "Well I called this morning."

"When? I thought you just woke up?"

"No, I got up at six to make the food order, and a few other phone calls. When I figured you probably wouldn't be up for awhile, I decided to go back to bed," he said as he took a forkful of waffles and eggs.

"Oh.. Well what other phone calls did you make?" I was curious now, but not so much to keep me from eating.

"Well, I wasn't sure what you had packed, and I figured you might need a few dresses while we're here. So I called the front desk, to find out where we should go. I got a few places, picked one, and asked Carrol to place a call for us when the store opened and make sure they'd be expecting us at noon." He sipped on his green tea nonchalantly as if making appointments for dress fittings were commonplace for us. I looked at him incredulously, wondering where he came from. Its like this was second nature for him. _I made a few phone calls, made sure they'd be expecting us_. Honestly!

"Wow. Someone knows how to take care of business. Well- what do I need dresses for? I have one with me, but do we really need to spend any more money on my attire if its only going to be for one weekend?" I held my green tea in my hands, and let the vapor envelop my face, feeling its moist warmth.

"Come on, Bell. You don't want to wear the same dress you wore for prom at your wedding! Plus, if we want to go to some more shows, you should have some more outfits. But if you really don't want them- fine. I'm only insisting on one white dress. The rest is up to you." He took another bite of bacon before asking, almost rhetorically, "Why is it that _I'm_ the one trying to convince you to go shopping?"

I knew he had a point, but the truth was, I was mainly focused on the word 'wedding' but I took another breath of the green tea steam and said, "Well, I just don't want to be spending so much- I'm just thinking about later on when we're going to have to stretch every dollar we have. We can't just blow it all on one weekend." I took a sip of green tea, and thought it over again. He was just being incredibly considerate… and I had to ruin his moment. Why didn't I just thank him, like any sane person should have done? I should probably change my attitude. "… But I do appreciate you thinking of me." I said, looking at him. "and if you're sure we can afford it, then I'd be more than happy to buy a few more dresses, I mean, I might be able to work something out." I said as I smiled sarcastically, and took a gulp of my green tea.

"Thank you," he said, taking my hand in his to kiss it lightly. Then he reached around to his side of the bed, and grabbed a remote from the night stand, and turned on the TV. I didn't even realize there was another TV in here till he turned it on. We finished eating and then snuggled in deeper into the pillows. He put his arm around me, and I let my head rest on his chest, as we watched on old black and white film with Audrey Hepburn, called Sabrina. It was one of my favorites. Edward had never seen it before, so I told him we had to watch it.

When the movie ended, the TV reported that it was 11:15 am. I took a deep breath and stretched my body out, over Edward, who then began tickling the sides of my ribs in the one spot I happened to be ticklish in. It was a highly specific, highly reactive spot that he found one day, and had managed to remember its exact location ever since. I twisted and turned, swinging my arms and legs in every which direction, trying to defend myself from the present attack. I was so focused in trying to ward off the tickling spree that I failed to notice when I had apparently smacked Edward's face.

"Oh, now you got me!" He exclaimed, holding the side of his face with his free hand, the other he kept on my side, making me a little nervous there might be a surprise attack. I touched the side of his face gently, making him wince, and I immediately felt overcome with guilt. I climbed on top of him, my legs straddling his body, and began to kiss his face where I had induced pain. He interrupted my healing process when he moved his face so that instead of my lips touching his cheek, they met his lips. I kissed him again and again, each time our embrace tightened and my heart rate shot up. I could feel his hands make their way to my butt, and move slowly up, till they made their way up under the back of my shirt. His hands were smooth and cool as he caressed my skin, and I melted in his chest, despite his ever-cool temperature. As we pulled away, I let my tongue lick his lips, and then went to kiss his cheek one last time.

I sat up, still sitting a top his frame and let my hands rest at his ribs. As I stared at him, he started to smile, and the smile turned into a grin, which made me very curious. I was just about to ask him what he was smirking about when he exclaimed, "you never slapped me!"

Oh I was going to hurt that boy! My cheeks flushed red as I half smiled, half gawked at him saying, "not yet, I haven't!" I made a fake attempt to slap him when he grabbed my hand and sat up to kiss me hard, making me fall back against the bed. He climbed on top of me then, and started a barrage of kisses all over my face and neck, while he held both of my arms down by my wrists.

We would have continued like this for the rest of the afternoon, going back and forth between tickle, attack and kiss wars, but we knew we had places to go, and appointments to keep. Edward sat up, and climbed off of the bed, walking towards the bathroom. "Well, Ms. Swan, I think its time we get ready to leave. We need to be at the store in about 35 minutes."

I sighed, and got up to grab some things out of my suitcase. I figured I should wear something simple, that wouldn't require much work if I was going to be trying on a million dresses. So I found my flats, my jeans, and a preppy little tank top. I could hear Edward getting ready in the bathroom, so I decided to just get dressed in the room, rather than wait to use the bathroom.

By the time I had finished dressing myself, Edward opened the door to the bathroom, and was finishing brushing his teeth. He motioned for me to step inside, so I could continue getting ready. His hair was already neatly in place, perfect as always, and of course he never had to worry about his face. Even if I had smacked him earlier, I don't think it would be possible to mar what the gods had sculpted. I sighed in discontent as I looked at my mess of hair, trying to figure out the best way to attempt to tame it would be, when Edward stepped in momentarily to use the sink. He dried his mouth, and before leaving, he stopped to stand behind me and rest his chin on my head. He had his arms wrapped around my waist, and he buried his face in my hair, taking a small breath in just before kissing my head. He squeezed my waist tightly before letting go, and then walked back into the room to get his shoes on.

I of course had to catch my own breath which had apparently temporarily stopped, and then I decided to hurry up, so we could leave on schedule.

We arrived at a very chic looking boutique store, with elegant dresses hanging on anorexic mannequins in the window display. I laughed as Edward tugged my hand, in a gesture to keep moving my feet past the open door. Once inside, a vintage-savvy saleswoman greeted us with a warm 'hello' as she clasped both her hands together, making the bangle bracelets that hung from her wrists sling together.

Edward smiled politely and then informed her that we were the Cullen party that had been previously arranged. Her lips formed into a kind of smile, as her eyebrows raised enthusiastically. "Yes, of course! Come right this way, and we'll start discussing the types of merchandise you might be interested in. I already have a few options lined up for you, if you would be so inclined to try them on, Ms. Swan," she said, looking at me. Wow, she knew my name, and acknowledged my existence. I liked this meeting much better than the awkward 'googley-eyes-for-mr.cullen-fest' with Carrol. She led us into a deeper part of the store that had an open seating area, enclosing a carpeted, round platform, surrounded on the other side by a wall made up of three mirrors. My guess was that Edward sits on the little couch while I stand on the platform so we both get to be disappointed by my image magnified in all those lovely mirrors. Great, I thought. As if one mirror in the bathroom wasn't enough. I sighed, and watched as Edward did take a seat on the little couch, and the woman led me past the mirrors into a small hallway lined with dressing rooms. She opened one of the doors, and directed me to the rack holding my first round of white dresses.

"Will you need any help trying on the dresses?" she asked, offering her expertise service. They seemed to be pretty self explanatory dresses, so I kindly declined.

"Well if you need any help, just call. My name is Marissa, by the way."

"Thank you, Marissa." I said, making a mental note of her name.

I looked at the five dresses she had grabbed for me, and inspected them quickly. One was very short, and very tight, looking more like a slip. Definitely not for me. I went to the next one that had a sweetheart top, and low back, but knew that I didn't have the chest to hold it up. The next one had a deep v down the middle, but was mostly loose fitting, and very elegant. This one might work. It would go under the 'maybe' category for now. Then I saw a classic a-line cut dress that would probably go down to my knees. The sleeves were small, and looked like they were supposed to hang off the shoulder, or cap it. I decided to try this one on first, so I made my way out of my clothes, and into the dress.

"Ok, here's dress number one.." I announced as I made my way over to the presentation area in front of the mirrors, and Edward. He was still sitting on the couch, patiently, and Marissa had been talking to him intently, holding up a dress in one hand, with a few more draped over her other arm. She smiled at me, and then said "I have a few evening dresses here that Edward told me you might like, I'll just run these into your room quickly. Oh and I love that dress on you. You have the perfect figure for it" she called as she made her way down the hallway. She was already coming back towards me by the time I had finished saying a quiet 'thank you..'

She busted out a measuring tape, I have no idea from where, but she began measuring the dress from the bottom, up, and then by my waist, asking me if it fit strangely anywhere, and how I liked the way it felt.

I looked at Edward for some sort of approval or dislike, but he only smiled at me. I wasn't satisfied. I inspected my image in the mirror, and felt a little too plain. It was more of an Easter Sunday dress, without the pink floral pattern pasted on.

"You know, it's a lovely dress, but I don't think it's the right one. Its missing something.. I think I want to go for something with a little more to it." I said to Marissa. She nodded her head in agreement, and said, "I know what you mean. Why don't you try on the last dress I have on the rack for you. I think you may be interested in that one, now that I know your style a little better." And then she held her hand out for me, to help me down from the platform. I made my way back to the dressing room, and carefully removed the dress from my body, and began to remove the last dress from the hanger. It was long, probably a little longer than I was, but it looked like it was supposed to drag. It was strapless, and while the top looked tight-fitting, the rest of the dress seemed to have this light, loose effect to it, that made it look terribly comfortable. As I slipped into the dress, I noticed a synched bunch of material cascading from the small of my back that flooded down to the floor, making a train. I managed to zip it up, and liked how the back was not high, but not too low. It was just right. While I made my way back to the platform, I felt elegant in it. I was never known to be graceful, but it would be hard for anyone wearing this dress to look awkward in it.

"I knew it! It looks gorgeous on you, honey," she said as she appraised my dress, and hurried over to inspect more closely the material and the way it fit me. Looking up, she saw my face and commented, "You love it, don't you? This is the one!" she exclaimed and looked back to Edward. I had forgotten to look at his reaction, I had been too occupied with Marissa. He had an indescribable look on his face- I wasn't sure if he was in shock from liking it, or maybe he just really didn't like it. I couldn't tell. But then his eyes met mine, and he held his gaze there for a long while, as Marissa busied herself along my dress, checking this and that, pulling this, tugging that. She hardly noticed the moment Edward and I were having. His eyes had this look in them, and he smiled softly, and I knew for a fact that this was _the_ dress. I knew it was a little much for a quick Vegas wedding, but I knew that there was something special about this dress. And Edward knew it too.

"We'll take it" Edward and I said simultaneously, before laughing lightly. Marissa gave a small laugh, and said, "Of course. You just know when it's the right dress. Well, you can go ahead and take it off if you're sure it's the right fit, and then you can try on the rest of your evening wear dresses while I get your dress wrapped up for you."

Edward and I got back to the hotel room around 2 o'clock, and decided to relax for a little while before we started to get ready. According to Edward, we would be attending dinner at 6 o'clock, another show at 7:30, and then we'd make our way to the chapel at 9 o'clock. Tonight was the big night. We were going to tie the knot, get hitched, participate in the last legal form of slavery… take your pick, because no matter what phrase you picked, it all boils down to: we are getting married.

I looked over at Edward as he moved about the hotel room. Despite my mother's warnings and countless measures of desperate attempts to make me see the spoils of marriage, especially for the cause of young, naïve love, I was not going to regret tonight. I truly loved him. And as long as he loved me in return, that is all I needed out of this life. I walked up to him, and slipped myself in front of him, wrapping my arms around his neck, and reached up to give him a long, cool, promising kiss. He looked at me like he knew what I was thinking, and kissed me back, squeezing me tighter.

"Mmm.. I think I'm going to go take a shower. I'll be out in about thirty minutes ok?" I asked.

"Alright then. I'm going to call and make sure our reservations are still booked. Maybe get tomorrow's breakfast ordered…" He smiled, and went to kiss me again before letting me walk away.

Edward had taken me to see "Love" put on by Cirque de Soliel. We were both talking about how much we loved the performance as we sat in the cab, driving down the crowded streets, full of people busy with their own agendas. I realized that so did we; Edward and I had a date to get married.

"So did you check to see if there was going to be a young Elvis marrying us, or did you get the old, fat, addict Elvis?" I looked up to see if he found my comment humorous, but I was serious at the same time.

"We're not going to a drive-through wedding- and we're not getting married by Elvis either." Edward said, looking at me incredulously. As if I was the crazy one here.

"Well then where are we going? I thought we were going to get this done the quick and painless way, I thought that's why we came here.." I said, trailing off into my preconceived thoughts.

"Bella, I just wanted to go somewhere just a little more classy than a drunken guy who can sign marriage certificates. Is that so terrible?" He said as he looked out the window, adding "sorry if marrying me will be so painful for you. I'll try to keep that in mind when saying the vows."

Shit. I had done it now. Twenty minutes before the wedding and I have to go and spoil it all by saying something stupid. Leave it to me. I bit my lip nervously, thinking of something to say. But how do I un-do this? I knew he hated it when I marriage-bashed, or when I expressed my hesitation toward it. I remember the first time he asked me, and when I told him I didn't want to get married- I thought I had nearly killed him. That was a long time ago, though. And this time I didn't really mean it- I was fine with marrying him. So what if my parents disown me, or we become the outcast couple of Forks? People would get over it sooner or later. Meanwhile, we would be happily married for the rest of our lives. And I just called our soon-to-be wedding ceremony 'painful.' I was such a genius. In the worst possible way.

I stretched my hands out to grab his face, to make him turn towards me. His eyes met mine, and I stared at him for a moment before I very slowly and meaningfully declared, "Edward Cullen. I'm sorry. I love you, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean that it would be painful- it was just a bad expression I used carelessly. I want to marry you. Please don't be offended. I'm sorry." and I looked into his eyes, searching for acceptance of my apology. We both leaned in, and he kissed me for a moment. "I love you too."

"Here we are." the cab driver said, looking a little embarrassed that he interrupted our 'moment.' I figured he must have been new, because being a cab driver in Vegas, you probably have to be used to all kinds of scenes in the backseat.

"Thank you, here you go. I believe this should cover it." Edward said, handing him some cash as we climbed out of the taxi. "Oh, thank you sir," the cab driver answered.

We walked into the building, lit very brightly and smelling of fragrant bouquets of flowers. It seemed we were in some sort of lobby, and Edward walked up to the main desk where a man in a suit similar to Edward's stood, flipping through a large binder, probably containing phone numbers or something similar, as he was holding a phone receiver in his free hand. Upon seeing us approaching the desk, he set the phone down, and directed his attention to us.

"May I help you, sir?"

"Yes, we have a reservation for the Cullen Wedding. Nine o'clock." Edward said, gripping my hand tightly as he said 'Cullen.' But the two words that stood out to me were 'we' and 'Cullen.' I was part of that 'we.' I was going to be a Cullen.. Bella Cullen. It seemed so real now, and at the same time, completely surreal. I had said the name to myself before, but it didn't have the same effect that it did now.

The man behind the desk pulled out a different folder, and skimmed through the dates, when he reached the present day, pressing his finger harder against the paper as he slid it down the list, turning his fingernail tip white. He came across the name Cullen and nodded his head.

"Yes, we have you booked in the Majesty Hall. Let me get you your escorts." He picked up the phone and dialed a short, well-memorized number, which was answered quickly. "Yes, I have the Cullens here ready for their escorts." He hung up the phone and smiled and told us to wait a moment.

Literally a second later, a man and a woman came walking down a hallway, and stood waiting for us.

"These are your escorts, Michael, and Yvette. They'll show you to your rooms." The man said.

Edward and I began walking behind Michael and Yvette, down a series of hallways and I knew now why they had escorts. We reached the apparent designated room because they both stopped. Yvette turned to me and said, "Follow me this way dear, your room is just down this hallway here."

I was taken aback. I thought we were supposed to be in the same room when we got married. I looked to Edward in a state of confusion, but he just motioned for me to follow Yvette. "Don't worry, you'll meet back here in a few moments." She assured me.

I took a deep breath, took another look at Edward, and continued to follow Yvette around the corner of another hallway to the first room on the left. So _this_ is why they had escorts. Once inside the room, Yvette offered me a chair in front of a vanity, when I realized that the room wasn't empty. There were two other women, who looked as if they had been waiting. As soon as I sat down, they stood up, and walked over to me. One of the women began picking at, and brushing my hair while the other shifted my chair slightly so that I was facing her, and began to apply makeup to my face. They looked pleasant enough, but they worked so mechanically. They started to ask me questions about my husband to be, and how long we knew each other, and other small talk topics, when suddenly, they were finished. My hair had been transformed and pinned half way up, while a small portion of my hair cascaded down my back in soft curls. My face had a beautiful, evenly smooth porcelain complexion now, and my eyes had a flattering shade of shimmering pink dusted on them. I smiled and expressed my deep gratitude for their talented service. Yvette offered me a glass of chilled water, and after I took a small sip, she stood up, and announced that it was 'time.'

I took a deep breath, and followed her out the door, and down the hallway. But we didn't return to the room that Edward was taken to. Instead we wound back around to the main hallway, and made a right, where we had made a left earlier. In large elegant letters, a sign above the door read "Majesty Hall." Well, this must be it, I thought to myself. Yvette opened the doors, but instead of seeing a large room like I had expected, I saw a very tiny room, with a pair of double doors on the opposite side. Apparently this was like an entry room. Yvette smiled and said "Well, this is it. You'll hear the music begin in just a moment, and don't worry, you'll be guided through the entire thing. No guess work. Take a deep breath honey, that's it. The Justice will let you know anything you need to say or do. And anything you need to say, you just 'repeat after him,' like in the movies." she smiled, and squeezed my arm in reassurance. "The music is starting now. Oh and here is your escort to walk you down the aisle."

I turned to see who my escort would be. Maybe some young guy who gets paid a lot, or oh maybe some elderly man who just likes weddings a lot, or maybe- OH GOD. My heart stopped, I couldn't breathe, and then everything happened at once: the double doors opened, flooding in bright lighting, music, and faces all with eager eyes turned to face me, standing there with Emmett at my side.

Where did he come from? Was this supposed to be happening? I can't breathe! Oh God, I am so confused! And Emmett is smiling! I could really kill him right now, but he took a step toward me, took my hand and put my arm through his bended arm, and nudged my side.

"Take it easy will you? Its just a few steps and then you're off to sign your soul away. I'm just kidding! But really though you should at least think about smiling, look Alice is taking pictures!" He managed to say all of this through gritted smiling teeth, so no one knew a word he said- also a convenient trick for the pictures. I looked around the room and found a couple strangers, but then my eyes met those of Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie. But they weren't sitting down. Jasper was standing behind Edward, while Alice stood in front of Rosalie on the other side of the Justice's podium. The groomsmen and bridesmaids. I was going to kill Edward. How could he not tell me?

I was interrupted in my thoughts of Edward's betrayal when Emmett informed me that we were going to start walking now. I remembered what he said about the pictures, and tried to forget about how embarrassed I was. I couldn't exactly give a Disney-Land smile, but I was trying. I tried, until I met Edward's gaze and I was completely surprised when instead of thoughts of murder entered my head, all I could do was shout 'I love you' in my head, and my mouth was forced into a serene kind of soft smile. When I realized what just happened, I almost started to laugh, letting a real smile form, but this time it lit up my eyes too. I could feel it. I looked at Alice and Rosalie standing in matching, dreadfully gorgeous pink dresses. Alice was smiling the biggest out of everyone, and suddenly, I was so grateful they were there, to share this with us. As I got up to the podium, Emmett turned to me, bowed and kissed my hand lightly and turned to put my hand in Edward's. He walked away then, to get behind Jasper, when I saw the smirk on his face and could only begin to imagine the dirty jokes that must have been pouring through his thoughts at that point.

The Justice looked at both of us, and began the ceremony.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, man and wife!" the Justice exclaimed, as Edward made a step closer to me, and taking my face in his hand, he kissed me good and hard, while the audience cheered (none quite as loud as Emmett, though) and Alice took countless shots of our first embrace as a married couple. We stopped to face everyone, and when the cheering came to a cease, we asked one of the strange audience members to take a picture of our party. We ended up taking a few photos, seeing as this was only happening once, and we really wanted to remember this night.

After we walked through the building we made sure to extend our thank-you's to the staff, before making our way outside.

"So when did all this happen? How long have you guys been here?" I asked, as I clung to Alice. I probably loved her just as much as I loved Edward, in a non-creepy kind of way. But thinking back on it, I couldn't imagine that wedding ceremony without her there.

"Well Edward told us about this a couple weeks ago, and told us to be here, so we went ahead and scheduled a Vegas trip. We're staying in a hotel, not too far from you." Alice said.

Emmett threw in, "Yeah we got here last night and we decided to stay for another day, I mean, we might as well."

"But I'm still mad at you!" Alice said as she put on a pretend pout and turned away from me.

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't believe you weren't going to tell me- I can't believe you were going to get married with out me there!" She exclaimed, rather peeved, but still managing to be playful.

"Oh I know, I'm so sorry, Alice!! Please, please, please forgive me! I'll make it up to you, don't worry. Look, we'll.. I know! We'll go shopping tomorrow- and you can give me a makeover! Anything you want- and not a peep out of me." I said, hoping to get a smile back out of Alice.

"Well that sounds entirely tempting, and I just might take you up on that offer- in fact I know I will hold you up to that, but that's not enough. I'll think of something. But that's good for now!" she said as her pixie-like smile lit up her face again. She wrapped her arms around me in a great big Alice-hug, and then took a step back as if to continue our previous conversation with everyone else as if nothing happened.

"So what now?" I asked. Edward had his arm around my waist, and gave a small squeeze at my question.

"Well, we had our own plans to catch a later show, so we were planning on meeting up with you guys tomorrow." Jasper said.

"Yeah, plus you guys have had a long day, so we won't keep you- you guys go on ahead to the hotel." Alice insisted.

"I don't think it really matters, I mean its not like they're going to sleep tonight anyways." Emmett muttered.

I blushed a deep red, and felt my skin get hotter at my embarrassment. But the attention was turned from me quickly when Rosalie spoke up. "No, I think we better get going before we're late. I guess we'll see you two tomorrow. Come on Em." And with that final say in the matter, we quickly exchanged 'good-nights' and I hugged Alice again, before Edward and I slid into another cab.

The whole drive to the hotel was spent either staring at Edward or at the wedding band on my left hand. The ring was beautiful, but it still didn't compare to Edward. So I spent more time staring at the latter. We shortly arrived at our hotel, and walked through the lobby to get to the elevator. Upon passing the front desk, I saw Carrol, who smiled at Edward as we passed, and I couldn't help but to casually reach up to fix a piece of hair with my left hand, conveniently displaying the shiny ring on my finger. A look of disappointment fled her face, but the smile never left it. The two looks put together was actually quite heartbreaking, or maybe slightly pitiful. But either way, we were inside the elevator now, and Edward stood facing me, an inch between us, holding my chin up with his hand to stare at me just before kissing me. The elevator doors opened and he motioned for me to walk ahead, then walked up behind me, and scooped me up into his arms! Of course he would. That was so like Edward. When we reached our room, he somehow managed to slide the card key without putting me down. He led me in past the main room, straight to our bedroom where he gently lay me on the bed. He hoisted himself up onto the bed, on top of me, and while kissing me, started taking off his tuxedo jacket. I helped him unbutton his shirt as I leaned up to bite his ear, and repeatedly kiss his neck and shoulders. A few seconds later and the pillows had been strewn across the room, my hair was coming wildly undone from the neat structure it had previously held, and we were down to our bare skin deeply engulfed in each other's embrace.

And thus began my first night as Mrs. Edward Cullen.


	4. A Flight, a Phone Call and a Margarita

Author's note: Ok, so I know many of you have probably noticed, (and trust me, it has bugged me also) that I have been inconsistent with my tenses. I switch sometimes between past and present, and that's mainly because I wasn't sure which one I wanted to stick with. But I know how I want it to read now, so if you catch any more tense-changing, please don't be afraid to reprimand me and let me know! Anyway, hope you like the new chapter.

Sorry it took so long for this one to post! I had a mix of writers bloc, and well, school. Ugh!

RxR. Thanks, sweet rica

Disclaimer: I am not the owner of the Twilight series.

Chapter Four: A Flight, a Phone Call and a Margarita

"Oh I'm going to miss you two!" Alice gulped as an emergence of tears threatened to pour over the brim of her eyes.

"Me too, Alice, but don't worry. It's not for forever, and you guys can come visit us any time!" I said as I tightened my grip around her hands. Jasper stood next to her, talking to Emmet and Edward, but Rosalie remained uninterestedly silent as always.

"Ok we will! And you better call or send emails, or write me letters!" the smile on her face widened, and continued with, "Because if you don't, our visiting won't be so much a vacation as it will a search and destroy." She giggled. "And remember what we discussed about your wardrobe! Please don't just shove everything to the bottom of your drawer, and never wear them ok?"

"Alice, you confiscated _all_ of my clothes from home. I don't think you have to worry about me not wearing the clothes you bought... They're all I have."

"I don't think clothes will be much of an issue anyway." Emmett muttered, as he shot a side glance with raised eyebrows and a wide grin to Edward. No one acknowledged him though; except for Rosalie's elbow which delivered a sharp jab into his ribs. Alice continued as if nothing happened.

"Yes, I did, but if I know you, that won't stop you from buying new clothes that look just like your old ones, so just please do this for me and wear what I bought you, ok?" She had that look in her eye that made it impossible for me to deny her request.

"Fine, you win. And I'll make sure we send emails at least once a week."

"Perfect!"

"Alright, well, it's about time to head to our terminal." Edward announced as he looked up at the screen listing departures and arrivals.

"Oh!" Alice exclaimed as she reached forward to lock her arms around me in a final goodbye hug. She loosened her grip after a moment and kissed my cheek before turning to Edward.

"Don't worry, we'll keep in touch," Edward assured her, "And send our regards to Esme and Carlisle. We'll talk to them soon anyway, but just let them know we got on our flight safely."

"I will." Alice placed a kiss on his cheek as well, and then returned to Jasper's side who then said to Edward, "We'll be careful with the car on the way home." He said.

"I know. Well, come down to visit us whenever you can. We'll call you with the hotel name and address as soon as we get settled in. Till then, take care."

The four of them stood on the curb, watching us as we gathered our luggage and made it through the automatic doors. I turned to wave goodbye, and saw Alice waving enthusiastically back as a single tear rolled down her cheek, while Jasper put a comforting arm around her shoulder. _Goodbye!_ I mouthed. She smiled, and let her hand rest on her chest, clutching her necklace.

We got on the escalator after checking in and started the process through security. Before long, we were sitting in front of our terminal gate, waiting for the time to pass. Edward reached over to hold my hand. His hands were cold, but felt soothing. His hand squeezed mine as our eyes met. He leaned over to gently kiss my forehead and then sighed contently as he sank back into his chair.

"Flight 187 to Acupulco, now boarding at gate 14." The electronic voice announced. Anxiety and excitement began to flood my veins as we picked up our things and filed into the boarding line. I had never been so excited before a flight.

I always knew what to expect on the other side. I always knew where and what point B would be like, compared to point A, even if I had never traveled to point B before. But this time was different. Point B's physical geography wasn't of importance here… It was the major life changing event that lay ahead of me, ahead of us. This was a make or break. It was both thrilling, and unbelievably dizzying at the same time.

As people made their way to their designated seats and arranged their carry-on items in the overhead compartments, there was a light buzz of excitement emanating from everyone's conversations. I smiled to myself, figuring that most people on a flight to Mexico were going for leisurely reasons in one way or another. Everyone except for a tired looking 'China man,' you might call him. He slouched in his chair, with his fishermen's hat pulled way over his eyebrows covering his eyes, and folded his hands wearily in his lap. Altogether, he looked like a very tired man, not in literal terms, but he appeared to be fatigued from life. He had a story, and whatever it was, it was a tough one. I sat there, imagining various scenarios of this stranger's life when I was snapped back into the present when Edward playfully squeezed the top of my knee with his hand.

"Are you alright Bella?" He asked, forming a playfully quizzical brow, matched with a coy smile.

"I'm fine!" I said as I let out a light breath of laughter. I fastened my safety belt and held Edward's hand as we waited for the stewardess to begin and finish her "In the event of an emergency" spiel.

Shortly after she concluded, the plane made its advancement down the runway. I squeezed both the arm rest and Edward's hand, while my stomach clung to the inside of my abdomen as the front wheels lifted off the pavement, and the engine made that final thrust of power, sending the plane up and onward into the air. I felt my face form a smile, as the adrenaline finished surging through my blood vessels. I looked over to see Edward comfortably laid back against his seat, reaching forward to pull his tray down.

"Can I get you two anything to drink?" Were the words that escaped from the perfectly formed rose colored lips, attached to the woman standing in front of us with the drink cart. I looked up at her, and immediately felt short, ill equipped and painfully plain.

"I'll have water to start with, please." He turned to me, and without looking back at the stewardess, said "make that two."

The stewardess smiled while she assembled two cups of water, and handed them both to Edward. She lingered for a moment, then continued down the aisle.

Edward took a sip of the chilled water. "This is our plan: I have a list of three different resort hotels. When we land, we'll get a taxi taking us to the most inland location first, and we'll check it out. From there, we'll go to the next one, and after that we'll look at the one closest to the beach, which is actually right on the shore. Afterwards, we'll have to decide which one we like more, and which one would give us a greater chance of hiring us. Whichever one we choose, we'll reserve a room there for two days. During that time, we'll scope it out, get a feel for the service, and the general amount of employees. We'll find out where they might be lacking in service or where we might be able to improve it, and then I'll talk to the manager about employment opportunities, and tell him what we can do or offer, and see if he'll give us the job. How does that sound?"

"Well it sounds good in theory, but what if they don't hire us? What would we do?"

"Good question. Well, we'd always have the other two hotels, and if that falls through also… well, I talked to Jasper, and we can work something out to where he will sell my car, and send us the cash. We would be able to live off that for the summer comfortably here. So we have a backfire plan."

It sounded fool-proof. But it also loosely resembled some of the half-baked ideas that my mother would have come up with. I knew this was definitely not a half thought out plan though. Edward was precise in his planning, he always was. I knew that he probably already had the hotel picked out, but wanted me to help him choose, and he probably already spoke with a manager. That's just how Edward worked. Everything was always taken care of ahead of time. No mistakes. He wasn't uptight though; he could still be spontaneous. It's just that when he did plan, he did it thoroughly.

"Well, it sounds legitimate. I think this will really work."

"It will. And I love you, so no matter where we end up, we will have each other. We'll be fine."

I leaned across the arm rest to kiss him, and as I did, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, that stewardess across the way, who watched with eyes of both envy and defeat. Edward hadn't given her a second glance. I could see the words 'what does she have that I don't?' written across her furrowed forehead but the truth was- I had no idea. I often thought that he was crazy. But he was my crazy. I was learning to accept it.

I looked out the window, and sighed at the sight of the wispy clouds that normally floated casually above me, yet now I cruised along the side of. I wondered what people back home were thinking. Did Charlie march over to the Cullen's household, demanding where I was? Did Renee fly out to Washington? I wonder if they think I'm alright, or what if they think I died? I didn't think Angela will be too upset- she probably saw this coming. I had hinted it to her before we left, and it didn't seem to bother her. Last time I had spoken to her was a little less than a week before we left. _She should be fine without me… she has Jessica, too,_ I thought to myself.

Just then I saw two little pudgy hands emerge over the top of the head rest a few rows ahead of me. Up popped a little black haired, sticky faced boy. It seemed he was pulling himself up to get a better look at the man behind him. His hair hung loosely in his face, and it was just long enough to get into his eyes. I smiled to myself as he put a hand to his forehead to wipe his bangs away from his eyes, which he did with great annoyance.

"Jacob! Sit down!" His mother said, in a strained kind of shouting whisper.

My heart skipped a beat.

Jacob.

How was Jacob during all of this? Was he mad at me? Did I hurt him? A rush of emotions swept over me, and I took a deep breath. I couldn't believe I hadn't even thought twice about him. He was my best friend! I should have told him about this… I only left him a note- how could I be so cold? I would be crushed if he just up and left with so much as a note left for me, which he didn't even deliver himself! What was I doing? Eloping to Vegas, and then running off to Mexico, not telling anyone? This had to be just slightly insane! I didn't even get anyone's second opinion, or anything. No one knew about this, except for Edward… I was so focused on being with him that I dropped everything at the first sign of us having a chance. I was being much too rash, I was being much too like my mother than I ever should be!

Edward must have seen the look on my face because suddenly I felt his hand on my back, and another on my hands, which I noticed had been folded in my lap, but I had been twisting my fingers tensely in my anxiety attack. My knuckles were white, my face pallid, my eye brows were contracted in emotional pain, and I had been absent mindedly biting the corner of my bottom lip.

"Bella, what's wrong?" His voice was hushed, urgent and concerned.

"Nothing!" I blurted, only a second short of much too quickly. Judging by the look on his face, I hadn't convinced him. "Well, I'm just worried about back home... Charlie, Renee, my friends…" I didn't want to mention Jacob specifically. "No one knew I left, and even though I explained everything in my letter, I know they're worrying. Especially Charlie... I wonder if he's made a legal thing out of this- or if he's contacted Carlisle. I just- I just don't want them to worry." I looked at him sheepishly. I knew there was no turning back- for one thing we had already gotten married and for another, we were 30,000 feet above the ground, on a plane that we boarded with one-way tickets. It was a little late to be worrying.

"Bella, why didn't you tell me this before?"

"It didn't set in before! I'm sorry. I'm not having second thoughts- if that's what you're thinking; I'm just worried that they might think something happened to me… And I don't want to put them through any more grief than I already have."

"… Well, you should call them then. Let them know that we've landed, we're safe, and you'll write to them as soon as you're able to. You're right, we shouldn't have left in the way we did. Call as soon as we land, there will be many phone booths in the airport I'm sure, and we'll buy an international calling card because we'll need one soon anyway."

"How am I supposed to just start talking to Charlie? I did the one thing a daughter is never supposed to do- I ran away, no worse, I eloped with the boy he was worried about and then ran away to Mexico! I can't just pick up the phone and say 'hey dad, we landed in Mexico, yeah, I'm married now! He's your son-in-law now, how about that. No, no grandkids yet- what's that you said? You're disowning me? Alright then cool. Bye dad!' I don't know how that will go over with him, Edward."

"Of course it will be difficult, but this will be the hardest call. And the longer you wait, the harder it will get. Once you initiate the communication again, he will slowly start to accept it, and build your relationship back. Let him know you're alive- he'll be grateful that you do. He probably won't want to speak to me when he sees us again, but I understand that, and I also know that eventually, he will get over this."

I thought about it for a moment. He posed a very valid point. I just didn't even want to begin to think about how awkward that phone call was going to be. "You're right. Well, I guess I'll call have to call him then." This eased my mind considerably; something about Edward's voice always soothed me. But thoughts of Jacob still lingered in my mind, and I could hear the little boy ahead of me laughing cheerfully aloud. Jacob was always cheerful…

"Hey Edward, I think I'm going to try to take a nap, I never stay awake very long on flights anyway." I said.

"Ok. I don't think I'll fall asleep. I usually stay awake for the whole ride. Sweet dreams. I'll be here when you wake up." He brushed his hand up against my cheek, and kissed my forehead.

I reclined my seat, adjusted my legs, and turned my body so I might find a bit of comfort in such limited space. I closed my eyes, and tried to push all the thoughts out of my head so as to get a restful, peaceful sleep. But my stomach would not stop churning. I focused on the hum of the engine and all of the little noises that usually go unnoticed. It wasn't long before everything was lumped into one distant, droning, chunk of noise similar to the sensation of listening to a commotion while you're underwater. And then, there was no noise… and as I made the final leap into unconsciousness, Jacob held out his hand to help me catch my balance as I landed.

***

"Please return your seats to the upright position, place your trays in the locked position, and fasten all seat belts for your safety while the plane prepares for landing. Thank you."

I cracked my eyes open to survey my surroundings. Everything returned to reality, and I wiped away a line of sweat that had gathered in a crease of my neck. Edward was smiling at me, and went to grab my hand.

"Rough sleep?"

"Yeah… I think it just made me more exhausted." I strapped my seatbelt on.

"Well some sunlight should do the job. Always brightens me up." Edward said with a smile.

I smiled back, and looked out the window to see a strip of run way that we were very rapidly advancing upon. We descended, and within a few minutes, had touched ground, and were coming to a smooth stop at our terminal docking area.

***

Soon after we had landed and picked up our luggage at the baggage claim, we found ourselves in the nearest phone booth, punching in the numbers of our newly acquired international calling card. I followed the directions, and dialed Charlie's number at work. It started ringing. I immediately pulled the phone from my ear, completely terrified of the conversation ahead of me.

"What happened?" Edward whispered.

"...it's ringing!" I exclaimed, also in a whisper. He rolled his eyes and pushed the phone back up to my ear.

"Hello?" A deep raspy voice answered the phone.

"Yes I'd like to speak with Charlie." My voice quivered as I his name escaped my lips.

"Isabella? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Your father has just about gone insane for the past couple a days. I hope you know the terrible fright you've put him in."  
"I'm sorry… I know. I just want to speak with him, please, sergeant."

"Alright, let me get him for you."

"Thanks." My heart started racing faster as I pictured Charlie running up to the phone as soon as he heard that I was on the phone.

"Bells? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me." I gulped.

"Where are you? Are you ok? Who's with you?" As he asked the last question, his tone became much more stern.

"We just landed at the airport in Acupulco… I'm with Edward. And we're fine." I couldn't believe this was happening.

"Isabella Swan. Of all the things you could possibly do! Of all the things I never thought you would do! I am thoroughly disappointed in you. If you had any sense in that head of yours, you would get on the next flight to Washington, and set your life straight again. Just what do you plan on doing out there? Are you ever coming back, or has Mr. Cullen lured you into the prospect of a permanent vacation away from your family and out of the country? Has he done anything to you? Are you pregnant?"

My head swirled at not only the accusations and questions, but the tones and volumes Charlie took. I had never really seen him this way before. But then again I had never done anything like this before. I had to stand up for what we were doing, even if we were wrong. I wasn't coming back, not now at least. Eventually, yes. I had to tell him. I had to let him know that I was in charge of my life.

"Charlie, I am not pregnant. Nor do I plan on becoming pregnant in the near future. But Edward and I got married, and we are spending some time in Mexico. I don't know when we'll be back home, but we're not 'running away.' This is how I wanted to start my life, and trust me I am not throwing it away as you might think. Edward and I are building a lifetime together, and we have a plan. And as soon as we settle in at our hotel, I will write to you our address of residence for the time being. I want to keep in contact with you, and Renee as well. Edward did not lure me into anything because he is a good man, and he can support, and take care of me. He was the one that encouraged me to call you, so you can thank him for this. I know you probably won't want to speak with him, but he is part of my life now, and if you want to have a relationship with me, you need to deal with the fact that he is my husband and your son-in-law now." I was amazed at the firmness in my tone, and how silent Charlie had fallen, but I had one more thing left to say. "I love you, and I want you to pass this message on to Renee. Bye Charlie."

And with that, I hung up the phone and let out a giant heave of air, nearly bursting into tears, except I was beyond the point of tears. Edward held his arms open, and I fell into their embrace, digging my head into his chest. That was the hardest thing I had ever had to say before. He lifted my chin with his right hand, looked into my eyes and kissed me. He hugged me now, and whispered gently in my ear, "I'm proud of you."

***

Four hours and three hotels later, we found ourselves sitting at a beachside bar, shaded from the grilling Mexican sun by an umbrella of gathered palm branches. We were debating the pros and cons of each hotel, watching the waves crash onto the sandy shore, and waiting for the waiter to bring us our order.

"Una margarita de fresa, y un cerveza con limon" Said the waiter. I didn't know much Spanish, but I knew exactly what a margarita was. I was so in need of a drink right now.

"Gracias" Edward replied, and handed him a tip.

I reached for my glass to test out the flavor. It was deliciously sweet, with a biting tartness at the end. Edward seemed to enjoy his Corona.

"I believe the third hotel would be the best choice. It has a nice ambiance, and the employees seem to have a family tie around them, and that would work in our favor the best. I don't think we would stand much of a chance with a place too corporate. What do you think?" Edward looked at me, an expecting an answer.

I had been vaguely listening to Edward, but was too involved with my drink at the moment. I sucked down my strawberry margarita more determinedly with each thought of my phone call with Charlie, and my earlier dream of Jacob.

"Bella, want to slow down there, lush?" He set my glass back down on the table.

"Sorry… it was just, really good."

"Ok, so the hotels- how do you feel about the most coastal location?"

"Yeah, I liked that one. Nice beach. I think we should stay at the beach. It's beautiful here." I was suddenly aware of the natural beauty surrounding me here, and I was quite taken aback. I had only seen places like this in movies before. It was nice to know that they really did exist.

"Perfect. Well, I'll call and make a reservation. We'll walk down there when we're done with lunch." He leaned back in his chair, taking in the scene as I had been, and let out a sigh. "It may be a little too bright for my taste, but I think it will do. It's gorgeous."

"It really is." I savored the breeze as it played in my hair, and beat gently across my face. I looked over at Edward, sitting classically vogue in his chair, looking off into the pacific ocean while the breeze lightly blew open the collar of his v-neck button down shirt. Seeing him like this calmed me. I could tell he was peaceful, and as long as he knew we would be fine, I knew I could trust him and know that we would be alright. So what if we jump started our life earlier than everyone else? It was about time someone shook up the cage in Forks. Jacob would be fine. He was always content… and I would write him a letter too, when I wrote to Charlie. Everything would work out.

Edward looked over at me then, smiling. He opened his arms out widely in a smug gesture and said, "Bienvenidos a Mexico, senora Cullen."


End file.
